PANASONIC LUMIX S SERIES REVIEW & SAMPLE FOOTAGE

Earlier this year Panasonic introduced the much-anticipated Lumix S1R and S1, the company’s first digital single lens mirrorless cameras to have a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor.

The S Series features Leica’s L-Mount, making it possible to use interchangeable lenses that meet the L-Mount specifications of Alliance partners, Leica Camera and Sigma. Panasonic is also offering three new S Series lenses at launch, with 10 lenses to be announced by 2020.

For the first time in a full-frame camera, the Lumix S Series models are able to offer Dual I.S. (Image Stabilisation) 2 with class-leading stabilisation up to six stops, enabling handheld shots in situations that would previously have required a tripod or gimbal.

And in another full-frame first, the cameras offer High Resolution Mode, up to 187MP on the Lumix S1R, allowing photographers in the landscape, architecture and product photography fields to create magnificent images and achieve highly detailed large-format prints.

The weather-sealed magnesium alloy frame is splash-resistant, dust-resistant and freeze-resistant down to -10°C. There are two high-speed memory card slots, one supporting UHS-II SD cards and the other supporting XQD. The class-leading Live View Finder offers the world’s highest resolution with a 5.7m dot OLED display. The 2.1m dot monitor has a triaxial tilt design for further shooting versatility, offering superb flexibility in a variety of situations, including high and low angle shooting and portraits.

The cameras are also designed for powerful video performance, recording smooth 4K 60p/50p, and High Speed Video lets users record slow motion video in 4K (maximum 60fps/50fps) and FHD (maximum 180fps/150fps). Both models are compatible with an XLR microphone adaptor enabling professional audio equipment to be used.

The Lumix S1 has a full sensor readout, capturing 4K 30p/25p/24p with no recording time limit. Furthermore, the S1 – via a software upgrade key available later in 2019 (to be sold separately) – will support 4:2:2 10-bit 4K 30p/25p internal video recording and 4K 60p/50p via HDMI output as well as the V-Log picture profile featured on Panasonic’s acclaimed Varicam products.

Panasonic invited V&F on a trip to Hobart, Tasmania, where a number of reviewers had the opportunity to put the S Series models through their paces. You can view some of the footage shot on this trip in the video below.